Chandigarh, July 12
Reacting strongly to the increase effected in the rate of interest on agricultural loans advanced by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development ( NABARD), the Punjab government today urged the union finance minister to immediately roll back the increase.

Speaking to The Tribune, the cooperation minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, said he had written to the union finance minister drawing his attention to the commitment made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a recent meeting of the national development council to provide credit to the agricultural sector at 7 per cent rate of interest. The Tribune was the first to report the increase in the rate of interest by NABARD.

Without taking the state governments concerned into its confidence, NABARD, which refinances state cooperative banks across the country for providing money to the agricultural sector on a short and long-term basis, has unilaterally increased the interest rate , raising it from 7 per cent to 9 per cent, for the money to be advanced on a long-term basis to the farm sector.

“ The money provided to us at 9 per cent rate of interest will have to be advanced to farmers at 11.5 per cent and this will have a crippling effect on the agricultural economy of the state”, said the cooperation minister. Farmers in Punjab and other predominantly agricultural states were facing a serious crisis.

Even the rate of interest on the money meant for short-term credit to farmers has been increased by 0.5 per cent on an annual basis . “ If money for short-term loans was given at 2.5 per cent rate of interest last year, this year it will be 3 per cent and next year 3.5 per cent”, said Capt Kanwaljit Singh. “ Punjab has been playing a major role in the food security of the country and deserves special concessions from the union government as far as advancing loans to the agricultural sector is concerned”, he asserted.

“ I will meet the NABARD chairman in Mumbai on July 25 to take up this issue. I have received a communication from him”, he said. “ I will tell the chairman to keep NABARD focused on the agricultural sector”, he added. Another issue that is hurting the cooperative banks in the state is the squeeze imposed by NABARD on money meant for credit to the agricultural sector.

Punjab, which was expecting Rs 450 crore from NABARD for long-term loans ,has got only Rs 258 crore. “This year we are keen to advance Rs 600 crore to the farm sector on a long-term basis. But the squeeze by NABARD has created serious problems for us ,” he said.

As cooperative banks in Punjab are facing a shortage of funds because of the indifferent attitude of NABARD, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said he had urged the banks to raise money from the market, NRI investors and financial institutions. Secondly, these banks had been told to advance money to the commercial sector on the pattern on non-cooperative banks. “ I have told these banks to earn profit from the commercial sector and with that profit give loans to the farm sector at a low rate of interest”, he said.

Patiala, July 12
Some people renounce worldly pleasures in the name of God and for serving religion. However, such service has become a route to riches. The police interrogation report of Baba Amrik Singh, who carried out kar seva at the Golden temple and many other gurdwaras in India and Pakistan, has revealed that he amassed assets worth crores of rupees in the name of religious service.

As per the police interrogation report of Baba Amrik Singh, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, he has many bank accounts and properties in his own name and the names of close aides. He has a bank account in the Centurian Bank branch at Chotti Baradari. During 2004-06 he had Rs 4,697,593 in that account. The entire amount was withdrawn on July 3, 2006, just two months before an embezzlement case was registered against him.

In the Centurian Bank branch at the court road, Amritsar, he had Rs 43,51,668, which he withdrew on May 24, 2006. In the Centurian Bank branch near the Golden temple he had Rs 6,01825 in the name of Guriqbal Singh and Rs 31,73,179 and Rs 49,98,760 in two accounts in the name of Amrik Singh. In another account in Centurian Bank at Patiala he had Rs 12,000 in the name of Kawaljit Kaur, Rs 7,76,871 in name of Amandeep Singh, and Rs 1,55,933 in name of Guriqbal Singh.

In Punjab and Sind Bank, Amritsar, and the State Bank of Patiala, Sanaur, Baba Amrik Singh had Rs 1,373,919 and Rs 83,924, respectively, in his name. He had Rs 5,38,814 in the HDFC branch on the Mall Road, Amritsar, and Rs 13,27,127 at Canara Bank, Amritsar, in his name .

He has plots in the name of his close aides at Budhapur village worth around Rs 60 lakh, at Chandiala village in Hoshiarpur worth Rs 50 lakh, at Karheri in Patiala worth Rs 15 lakh, at Khasa village in Patiala worth Rs 20 lakh, at Amritsar worth Rs 12 lakh and property worth Rs 70 lakh at Sathiana village in Hoshiarpur. This information was provided by Baba Amrik Singh to the police after his arrest in the embezzlement case.

The police in the report also maintained that the Baba rose from rags to riches in 15 years by embezzling kar seva funds. He had visited Pakistan 35 to 40 times since 2004. There he met Punjab ultras, including Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Rajinder Singh, Wadhawa Singh, Manjeet Singh, alias Pinka, Gurmeet Singh Aulakh and Manmohan Singh Khalsa.

He also disclosed that he allegedly took shelter at the house of Paramjit Singh Sarna, president of the DSGMC.

The police registered a case against Baba Amrik Singh for embezzling kar seva funds at Tripuri police station in September 2006.

Amritsar, July 12
SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and Khalsa Action Committee (KAC) chief Bhai Mohkam Singh have crossed swords over seeking extension of the term of SGPC chief from the present one year to two-and-a-half years.

Both, KAC chief and SGPC president also traded charges of “siphoning of” gurdwara funds. Bhai Mohkam Singh said the SGPC must take Sikh masses and Panthic organisations into confidence before seeking the extension of the term of SGPC’s office-bearers.

While refuting the charges of Bhai Mohkam Singh that the Ratia Sikh conclave was postponed on the “directions” of the union home minister, the SGPC chief said this issue never cropped up at the meeting between SGPC delegation and the minister in New Delhi. “The delegation had simply sought acceptance of long-standing demands of the Sikhs, including handing over the rare manuscripts taken by the Army during Operation Bluestar,” he said.

The SGPC chief described Bhai Mohkam Singh a person of “dubious character” who had been “misleading” the Sikh masses for his “vested interests”. He said if the working of the SGPC was not up to the mark and there were reports of siphoning of gurdwara funds, then Bhai Mohkam Singh must tell his brother to resign as supervisor in the SGPC.

Meanwhile, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, met Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti at his official residence here to lodge their protest for postponing the Sikh conclave at Ratia in Haryana.

They also urged Jathedar Vedanti to lead the KAC march proposed to be launched on July 15 from the residence of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale at Rode village. Though Jathedar Vedanti has assured his participation, yet sources say that he was unlikely to visit the residence of Sant Bhinderanwale to mark the beginning of the march.

POLITICS

Malerkotla MC Election
1 post, two elected
Our Correspondent

Malerkotla, July 12
Against one post of the vice-president, two groups in the Malerkotla municipal council, one led by Congress MLA Razia Sultana and other by Chaudhary Abdul Gaffar, halka in charge of the SAD, elected two vice-presidents today.

According to sources, at about 4 pm a group of 11 municipal councillors belonging to Razia Sultana group elected Sabran as the vice-president of the council and recorded proceedings about this in the register.

The other group, comprising 16 municipal councillors belonging to the SAD reached the council office at about 4.05 pm and entered the hall to participate in the elections. They reportedly elected Kewal Jindal as the vice-president and recorded the proceedings in a new register. After this they raised slogans against the local administration.

Chaudhary said how the entire election proceedings for the post of vice-president were completed in just five minutes as the scheduled time for the meeting was 4 pm.

Another dera row
Hindu bodies hold protest, block road
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, July 12
There was tension in the city today following a protest by various Hindu organisations against the district administration for not registering a case against those persons who allegedly tried to forcibly take possession of Dera Baba Fattu Shah Bibi Sahiba temple of Sri Ramshevar Mahadev at the local Rahimpur locality, last night. The protest was joined by the Rashtriya Vikas Party, the Shiv Sena (Thakarey), the Vir Hakikat Rai Sewa Samiti, the VHP, the Bajrang Dal, the Brahaman Sabha, and the Saini Welfare Society. They also demanded the registration of a case against the activists of the Ambedkar Sena.

The protesters today took out a protest march and demonstrated against the local administration in the main bazaars of the city. They also staged a dharna at the Clock Tower.

They blocked traffic at Nangal Shaheedan on the Chandigarh-Hoshiarpur road. They lifited the blockade on the Chandigarh road and at the Clock Tower crossing. The SSP said a case had been registered against some unidentified persons today.

Amritsar, July 12
Fearing torture by the Beas police Jasbir Singh Dimpa former Congress MLA from Beas and 11others lodged in the Amritsar central jail here today have urged Chief Justice Punjab and Haryana High Court to take steps to prevent the police from torturing them in the guise of investigations.

Dimpa has also sent representations to the Prime Minister, Governor Punjab and the National Human Right Commission, alleging the police under directions of SAD leaders had implicated four policemen and tortured them in police custody on July 10 in a case registered at Beas police station. He alleged the policemen were tortured to extract confession against him and his family members to frame them in other cases. The SSP Amritsar (rural) did not take the call of this reporter.

Chandigarh, July 12
Even though the Supreme Court clearly states that NRI seats in educational institutes across the country can be filled up either by their children or their wards, the Punjab Government has issued a notification for giving preference to the Indian candidates sponsored by them, or candidates willing to pay the equivalent amount in Indian currency.

Taking cognizance of the violation during the hearing of a petition, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to Punjab’s Principal Secretary, Department of Medical Education and Research, asking him to show-cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him in the matter. Issuing the directions in an open court, the Bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Ajai Lamba, also asked the Principal Secretary to be personally present in the court with his explanation. The Judges also fixed July 13 as the next date of hearing in the admission matter.

In their detailed order, the Judges observed that during the course of hearing, counsel for parties brought to the attention of the court a notification dated March 21 issued by the Principal Secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of Medical Education and Research.

The notification states, “Third preference will be given to those Indian candidates, who are sponsored by the NRIs. Fourth preference will be given to those Indian candidates, who are ready to pay fee in Indian currency equivalent to US dollars”.

After going through the notification, the Judges added: In our view, it is a clear and flagrant violation of the law laid down by the Supreme Court clearly stating that such seats can be utilised by the NRIs only for their children or wards. The Judges held: “The provision incorporated in the notification goes far beyond and there by clearly constitutes contempt”.

In his petition against the state of Punjab, Dayanand Medical College and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, a Patiala student had earlier sought the quashing of a notification vide which NRI seats in private colleges was enhanced from 7 .5 per cent to 15 per cent of the total seats on the basis of Post-Graduate Entrance Test 2007 for admission to MD and other courses.

Chandigarh, July 12
To popularise rainwater harvesting, the Department of Agriculture has set up rainwater harvesting wells in the administrative blocks of Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib.

The funds for the purpose have been provided by the Ministry of Water Resources, while the Chandigarh-based Central Groundwater Board has provided technical know-how to the agency that executed the pilot projects.

Board’s regional director (north-western region) Sushil Gupta says: “Keeping in view the catchment area and the flow of rainwater in the area, we have decided to utilise the runoff of the rainwater. This will not only help recharge the aquifer system, but also control flooding in the area.

He says the water table in 66 per cent area of Punjab has declined drastically during the past 25 years. In the districts of Patiala, Sangrur, Moga, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana, the water table is falling at an alarming rate of 40 cm per year.

In Jalandhar the depth of water table varies from 7 m to 20 m. In southern areas, including the DC office complex, Model Town, Nakodar Chowk and BMC Chowk, the water table varies from 15 m to 20 m.

In Fatehgarh Sahib, the water table is declining at the rate of 10 cm to 20 cm annually.

Earlier, the board had constructed 20 projects at a cost of about Rs 5 crore in various areas. These included Channia village in Kapurthala district, Kala Sanghia village in Jalandhar district and Issru village in Ludhiana district. In these villages the pond water is used to harvest groundwater.

Similar projects were also constructed in Amritsar (Krishi Bhavan and the Golden Temple) and the Beas Doab Canal System in Noormahal, Jalandhar district.

However, most of the structures are presently lying abandoned and their recharge capacity reduced drastically.

Chandigarh, July 12
An NGO, the kheti virasat mission, is undertaking a “Punjab water literacy yatra” in areas of the state that are facing a water crisis.

The first phase of the yatra will be for three days starting July 18 from Jhok Sarkari village of Faridkot district.It will commence on July 20 from Lehragaga, Sangrur district.

Umendra Dutt said the yatra would cover Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur. Magsaysay award winner Rajinder Singh and ecological activist Gopal Krishan would lead the yatra.

Chandigarh, July 12
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal today agreed to treat military personnel killed or injured during operations launched in aid to civil authorities as battle casualties. This implies that such soldiers would be entitled to benefits extended by the state government to soldiers killed or injured in regular military or counter insurgency operations.

Chairing the Civil Military Liaison Conference at the Western Command Headquarters at Chandimandir today, he also announced 1 per cent reservation for 100 per cent disabled soldiers in Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) housing schemes.

The Chief Minister also agreed that that the additional octroi being charged by the state government from the cantonment boards would be reimbursed.

Top officials from the Punjab Government and the Western Command attended the meeting, held annually to discuss and sort out issues of mutual interest and other security-related matters.

Further, the Chief Minister also announced the release of Rs 1.23 crore for the construction of an additional hostel at Sainik School Kapurthala and a one-time grant of Rs 5 lakh to the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Center (PRC), Mohali.

Badal also expressed his commitment towards looking after the welfare of serving soldiers as well as that of ex-servicemen in every possible manner. The Chief Minister assured that his government, the administration and the people of Punjab would provide all possible assistance to the armed forces.

In his welcome address, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Daljeet Singh, thanked the Chief Minister and the state administration of Punjab for its positive response on various issues taken up by the Army with the state government. The Army Commander also expressed satisfaction on the close rapport existing between the Punjab Government and the armed forces.

During the course of the proceedings, Lt Gen Daljeet Singh highlighted the important issues of allotment of land in lieu of land vacated by Army at various stations, safety and security of vital army installations and land for ‘Jai Jawan Awas Yojna’ in PUDA developed colonies.

He also highlighted the need of improving road infrastructure in border areas at certain places and creating additional facilities for the welfare of serving soldiers and ex-servicemen. The Army Commander offered the assistance of Army in strengthening educational facilities in the state of Punjab and also creating additional job opportunities for youth of Punjab by building necessary infrastructure wherever required.

Chandigarh, July 12
BJP MP from Hoshiarpur and former president of the Punjab unit of the party Avinash Rai Khanna has convened a meeting of certain chief parliamentary secretaries, MLAs, ex-ministers, panches, sarpanches and prominent social activists of the kandi belt to discuss the crucial issue of repealing of the Punjab land preservation act (PLPA), 1900.

The meeting will be held here on July 14.

Giving this information, Vineet Joshi, a member of the national executive of the youth wing of the BJP, said the meeting, which will be held in the ICSSR complex on the Panjab University campus, will plan the future strategy on this core issue.

Joshi said Khanna had convened the meeting in the wake of the legal opinion given by advocate-general of Punjab Hardev Singh Mattewal to the state government favouring the repealing of the PLPA, which had been causing hardship to people in the kandi area.

Jalandhar, July 12
The state’s Special Police Officers (SPOs) are on the warpath. More than 2,000 of these officers, who were inducted in the Punjab Police in and after 1989, have threatened to come out on the streets if they are not absorbed as constables in the Punjab Police and if the Punjab CM does not respond positively to their demands.

The Punjab Police had inducted as many as 4,500 SPOs, particularly during the time the state was battling with militancy. After peace prevailed, a group of SPOs moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court after which they were absorbed in the Punjab Police following a court directive.

Unfortunately, the lot of more than 2,000 SPOs remains unchanged despite their having cleared a series of tests conducted by a police selection board in 2002 for their formal recruitment as constables.

The number of those SPOs who were successful in the recruitment tests conducted by the board, headed by DIG Ishwar Chander, and who were still struggling to get themselves absorbed as constables was more than 2,000, sources said.

These SPOs work as daily-wagers till date without any enhancement in their wage allowance, which is Rs 90 per day. “Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had promised that our daily wage allowance would be increased from Rs 90-150. However, nothing happened. In fact, the Amarinder government recruited 1019 outsiders or freshers as constables, but we were not considered. We are still awaiting our numbers (belt numbers allotted to regular constables). We have wasted our youth merely waiting to become constables,” said Baldev Singh, Om Parkash, Manjit Singh, Sarvan Kumar, and Dalvir Singh, all SPOs.

Many SPOs were reportedly unable to marry as they were not earning sufficient money to run a family. “We have been dealing with so many difficulties, but nobody wants to listen to us,” said Sushil Chaudhary and Vir Singh.

“We will be holding a meeting of all SPOs of Punjab at the local Company Bagh on July 15. Then, we will go to Chandigarh and try to meet the Chief Minister. The future course of action will be decided after that,” said SPOs Kulwant Singh and Daljit Kumar.

Doc assaulted
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, July 12
A postgraduate student at the SGPC-run Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Science and Research was allegedly assaulted here late last evening by relatives of a patient, who died during treatment about 10 days ago.

The junior doctors of the hospital immediately went on strike, which was later called off after SGPC president Avtar Singh gave assurance to the protesting doctors to take up the matter with the police.

Relatives of the deceased entered the hospital last evening and slapped resident doctor Dr Manmeet Chawla, who was present at the emergency ward of the hospital.

Abohar, July 12
A team, led by chief vigilance officer Ashwani Kumar and vigilance officer Rajesh Singla, today initiated a probe into allegations against the Congress-led municipal council here.

President of the council Tulsi Ram could not be contacted on the phone. Ailing executive officer of the council Diwan Chand Verma was quizzed. He was asked to produce relevant record.

Councillor Swarsha Narang of the BJP had alleged that the executive officer and the president of the council had violated all norms of the civic body.

A petition had been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the council for its alleged failure to deposit the employees’ and employer’s contribution to the provident fund. The authorities had deducted the amount from the wages of the employees, but allegedly misused it for making payments to contractors.